Automatic railroad-switch.



I. A. CALL. AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH. APPLICATION LEIIIED SEPT. 1. 1908.

Patented July 20, 1909.

2 sums-sum 1.

INVENTOH AUALL WITNESSES d6? i Q. fly/19 ATTORNEYS MN Q 6 m a,

ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES IRA A. CALL; OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

xv'rom ric RAm-RoAn swncH;

Speoiticeti'on t Batten Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application-filed Se tember 1, 1908. Serial No. 1,139.

To altwhom-itmctycomem: Be 113* known that 1, IRA A; GAnnacit-izen' 1 State of Utah, have invented certain new 4 and useful Improvements in Automatic Bailroadswitches, Of which the. followin 18 a specification.

My invention'is an improvement in auto.

matic JilllI'OEld switches, snd consists in cer-' tam novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described a-nd claimed.

The resent invention is an improvement over my prior patent- No. 886;941', granted May 561 1908, and the object of the'invena tion is to provide a switclr whichm'ay be operated from the train or'e'n "ne while the same is in motiong-or byhen manner, and a switch of the stub-rail type which willnot be liable to clog from snow, dirtor other causes, nor from contraction or expansion of the rails at the switch;

A further object of the invention is toprovide a device wherein the operating mechanism is above ground,'- or on a level with the track,-a-nd thereforenct subject to the disadvantages incident to undergronndor sunken parts.

A further object of the invention is provide a mechanism wherein the component: parts thereof are connected'to' lates of steel underlying the switch mils -so that no part of the switch i'sin any way attached to the ties to become inoperative throu h movement thereof; the ties mere y to holdthe switchon it leveliand in ine with the'rest of the track. e

I nent parts thereof are the rails at the junction 'of A further object of the invention is'. t0p10 vide at device that'will eliminate unnecessary stops, and normally maintainthe switches in main line posltiont A further object of the invention isto provide a mechanism wherein the compo so'eifectively arranged as to afford absolute safety in the passage of trains, any waydesiredover the switches.

Referringfto't'he drawings forming a part thereofF1gure Lie .2, plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation o'f'the' switch: Fig. Bis a section on the line 3'-3 vertical" and longitudinal secti on, of the supporting plate and railiends; Fig'. 5 is 'an' end elevation-of the sidingrt-i1 with the mainline rail. 'Fi'g'efifis a plan'v'iew showing the SW'1i'Ch"Set for the siding Fig.-

' by means of a spring 7 iso side elevation of Fig. 6; Fig. Sis a ii vation of the safety locking device. 1

1 0 is a section on t he'li'ne 10 10 of Fig. 1.

In the present embodiment of my invention-,the main line rails 1, Q haring interpcsedin the lengths thereof, the stub switch rails 3',-4r,=whicli are adapted to complete the main line track-ortoconnectit wit'hthe sidingrailsy-5, 6 as may be desired-.-- Beneath each switch rail t/ies5-the ends of which extendbeneath the separated ends'of the. main line rails, and beneath the ends of the siding rails, the said plat'es'being widened as at- 8,adjacentto the 'switch nails for the operating levers or mechg-. 9 is another view of thesame, and Fig.

is a plate Tresting upon the a anism. The switch railsare connected tol 9, whoselends are ivotedto lugs 10 con- '-nect-ed with eecli rail; and the switch is retainednonnally in position for the main line 11 arranged within a casingz12,- which is connected with one of the switch rails; A- bolt 13 is connected with the'adjacent switchr-a'il,*'a.nd moves within the sprin the free end thereof being headed. andthe spring is arranged'between the head i the plate, as willbc evident fromsn inspection of Figs; 1- and 6. I An elbow lever 15 is journaied upon the "plate- 73- on they opposite side of the track ro'm tlte'spring-ll, and one arm ofthe lever 'is' connected to a; lng 16, rigid with the ndja- "eent switch] rail, the-other end' being' propin'17=,=in engagement with a link 19, which connects the.

get'her in spaced relation by means of links switch with the operating mechanismto be presently described. A turn buckle 20 is 1nterposediIPt-he length: of the link; and the said link isv siipported by rollers 21 jon'rnaled in brackets 22 seciired to-the'ties 23-.

- The link 19'extends on a plate 25' securedto nected with one end of asst 27,1011 a'rib, end ofthe lever end of' a bar 29; whose other end is con nec'td with it link 30, pivoted as at are through a bearing 24 the rail, and is cona lever 26,; pivoted the-rib;'thesaid 'linkactiii "to retain the bar 29 in parollelism with'the ink. 19.

- Thepla-tfe 25 is rovided with'gllides 32, 38 for the'trfip mec anism which is mounted on-tiie engine or car asthe' case may be. The

trip mechanism may consistof it simple shaft. 5

by a-coiledflspring retained. in closed position with suitable connections to" the engineer or 28 on the plate, the other being connected with one 55 :"switch', and to-one of which the side rail on Fig. 6, and moves the switch against the resistance of the spring 11, into the position also shown in such figure. To insure the rising of the trip, whereby toprevent injury to the switch mechanism, a cam 34 is arranged in front of the plate25, for engaging and elevating the trip. It will be understood, that immediately the lever 26 is released by the trip, the spring 11 acts to return the switch to main line position, for. which reason it is necessary to provide a locking mechanism for retaining it in the siding position until the train or car shall be in the clear. The locking device comprises a side rail 35, supported on arms 36 rigid with shafts 37 journaled in brackets 38, be-

. neath the rail 1, and the side rail is connected by a link 39 having interposed in the length thereof, a turn buckle 40, with a lever 41 pivoted as at 42 to the plate 7, and to a lug 43 connected with the adjacentswitch rail, the connection between the link and the lever being a pin and slot or lost motion connection. It will be evident from the description, that when the switch is thrown in either the position shown in Fig. 1, or that shown.

in Fig. 6, and the side rail 35 is depressed into the position shown in Fig. 9, the switch will be looked as long as the side rail is depressed. The side rail is made long enough so that it is never free from at least one truck durin the assa e' of the train thereover. Simi ar si e rai s 44 are pivoted adjacent to one of the siding rails, and one of the main line rails on the trailing side of the switch, the said siding rails being supported byarms 45-v with shafts 46 journaled in bearings to the rail, one of the shafts being provided. with a second crank arm 48, connected by a link 49 having interposed therein a turn buckle 50, with an elbow lever 51, pivoted as at 52 on the plate 7 the other arm being connected with a lug 53 .on the adj acent switch rail. It will be observed from an inspection of Fi s. 1, and 6, that the elbow levers 5-1 connecte to opposite sides of the 'themain line, and to the other the side rail, on the siding line is connected, are opposit'lyarranged, the sidi rail on the main line lockingthe switch for the main line, and the side rail on --the siding line locking th gswitch for' the siding, as well as operating the switch when necessity requires it Between{ th (ls ofthe siding rails-and adjacent to the ends of the stub switch rails, is arranged a plate 54 which normally fills the space between said rail ends as shown in Fig. 5, and a bolt 55 is connected with the plate and extends through the plate the. free end thereof being provided with a nut,57 for limiting the movement of the plate upwardly, and a coil spring 58 is arranged between the plate 54 and the bases of the adjacent rails. The plate is designed to prevent material such as bolts or spikes from becoming lodged between the ends of the siding rails and the main line rails, which would prevent the operation-of the stub rails in case such ob.- ject projected into the path of movement thereof.

The construction of the plate 7 shown in Fig. 4 issuch that it forms a connecting link with all the rail ends, asupport for all the operating mechanism required to operate an automatic switch, 'li'ecting an elevated solid smooth surface over which is operated the switch rails elbow arms etc., and further prevents interferencewith the free movement of the switch by expansion of the rail,

'The portion of the plates 7 beneath the switch rails 3 and 4 is of greater thickness than the portion between the ends of the main line and siding rails, and a shoulder 62 is formed between the said thick and said thin-portions against which the ends of the siding rails and main line rails abut as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The said rails being rlgidly aflixe d to said thin portions of the plate prevents derangement through contraction. However, this may be used without this shoulder in places where bolts will have sufficient strength to check expansion at the switch.

The spacing links 9, coming in contact with plates 7 prove a stop block which de- 'termines the side movement of the switch rails.

The hand operating device, to prevent bewill cut down through snowmr other material without becoming clogged.-

I claim:

1. In a device of the-class described, the combination with the;'stub switch rails and the switch bar connecting the same, of a spring for-normally retaining said rails in alinement with the main line, lates arranged beneath the rails, an el ow' lever journaled on one of the plates, and having on opposite sides of the one of its arms connected with the adjacent rail, a link having a lost mot-ion connection with the other arm, a lever pivoted at a distance from the switch and having one arm connected with the link, the other arm being adapted to be engaged by a trip on a moving. train for operating the switch, manually operated means for throwing the switch, and means for locking the switch comprising side rails arranged on opposite sides of the 's'wit ch and attached to specially constructed ".l'fillS, means for mounting said rails, whereby they will be depressed and moved longitudinally by the moving train, levers pivoted by one end on the plates adjacent to the switch rail-s, the other ends of the levers being pivotally connected with the switch rails,-and links connecting the side rails with the respective levers, y

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the sub-switch rails, of a spring for normally retaining said rails in alinenient with the main line, plates arranged beneath the switch rails and the abutting ends of the mainline and siding rails, an elbow lever journaled on one of the plates, and having one of its arms connected with the adjacentrail, a link having a lost motion connection with the otherarin,

a lever pivoted at a distance from the switch, and having one arm connected with the link, the other arm being adapted to be engaged by a trip on a moving train for operating the switch, manually operated means for throwing the witch independently of the moving train operating means,-and means arranged the switch 111 its thrown position during the passage of a train thereover.

3. 'In a device of the class described, the combination with the stub switch rails, of means whereby a moving train may operate said rails, a spring for normally retaining said rails in. alinement with the main line rails, manually operated means for operating'the switch independently of the-train operated means, and side rails for engagement by the moving train to lock the switch in its thrown position during the passage of the train thereover.

4. In a. device of the class described, the con'ibination with the-stub-switch, rails, and the switch bar connecting the .same, of a 'railsinalineinent with the main and side rails for engagement by the moving train to lock the switch in its thrown position, during the passage of a train there switch for locking mg one arm connected with the rails, one of said levers remote from the switch being extended'and a link connecting said extended end with the other arm of the elbow lever adjacent to' the switch.

In a device of the class described, the

combination with the stub switch rails, of a spring for retaining said rails normally in alinement with-the main line rails, means for operating said rails from a moving train, said meanscomprising a platesecnred to the rail at a distance from the switch, a. pair of levers pivoted on the plate, a link connecting one end of each of said levers, an elbow lever journaled ad jacentto the switch, and having one arm connected with the rails and a connection between the other arm of the elbow lever and oneot' said levers remote trom the switch.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the stub switch rails, of

means whereby a moving train may operate said rails, a spring normally retaining the line rails,

over, said side rails having beveled lower edges for the ')urpose set forth.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with the stub switch rails, of means whereby a moving train may operate said rails, a spring normally retaining the rails in alinement with the main line rails, and side rails for engagement by the moving train to lock the switch in its thrown position, during the passage of a train thereover, said rails having a portion of the tread thereof cut away to receive the side rails, said side rails ha'ving beveled lower edges for the purpose set forth.

IRA A. CALL. 

